Scene from “Maria”
JP Habac’s “Maria” topped the short narrative category of the recent 44th Athens International Film and Video Festival in Greece.
The jurors commended the 11-minute film for “a narrative that is unrelenting in its refusal to bend to our expectations of family dynamics.”
According to the fest’s website, the jury “appreciated the beauty of the imagery, as well as the commitment to an ambivalent depiction of birth and familial structure.”
“Maria” recounts how relatives confront a 14-year-old girl who’s suspected of being pregnant, while a 50-year-old woman gives birth to her 22nd child at the same time.
The Filipino short film was shown under the banner “Baby Business,” along with entries from the United States, Iran, United Kingdom and France.
“Maria” previously won special jury mention at the 14th Bogota Short Film Festival, or Bogoshorts, held in Colombia last December. Habac’s short film was produced by Tuko and Buchi Boy, the same team behind his feature film debut, “I’m Drunk, I Love You.”—BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.